Lewes school welcomes dinosaurs during science week

Year 6 children at Lewes Old Grammar School came face to face with a life-size teenage Tyrannosaurus Rex named Sophie to learn how the predators lived over 60 million years ago.

Pupils had been learning about evolution and were getting acquainted with two small animatronic dinosaurs when the huge puppet appeared - and was met with “shrieks of delight”.

Sophie said "hello" to each of the Year 6 pupils at Lewes Old Grammar School

Teacher Ruth Beresford said: “The opportunity to observe a life size T-rex first-hand gives invaluable lessons about how the animals can move, as well as giving an insight into how paleontologists work.

“We always try to find exciting activities for the children to do in science week, and the dinosaurs called out to me as something the whole school could learn from.

“Fossils and dinosaurs are universally appealing and can be used to learn not just about fossil formation, but also about dinosaur habitat, diet and the adaptation and evolution of their bodies.”

Teacher Ruth Beresford with a smaller dinosaur

One Year 6 pupil said: “The dinosaurs were so realistic, they looked like they were really alive.

“It was so interesting when Sophie bent her head to the floor, because her tail went up to balance her. Humans can’t do this without using their arms for balance.”